Abstract

This paper, initially published in the Journal of Men, Masculinities and Spirituality, explores the Israeli Haredi community's usage of the male body as a site of social control and surveillance, a bulwark against the non-spiritual world, and a preserver of what is perceived to be 'unchanging' religious values. Through ethnographic research, Yohai Hakak examines how Haredi young men construct their bodies in relation to secular male Israeli bodies and the gender norms of their closed community. This work is particularly recommended for scholars focusing on the anthropology of religion, gender studies, and contemporary Jewish studies -- Page 4 of cover.